GOP Nominee 2012 - Who Will It Be?, Pt. 4

[BVS]

you don't want to be limiting yourself demograpically.

Except when you talk to people that hold this position long enough you see them slip and you realize that this is exactly what they fear.

Why is "assimilation" brought up so much? I mean it doesn't hurt INDY if this person doesn't learn to speak English, it hurts and limits the immigrant. When it comes down to it they can list off a lot of reasons why they hold such a strong stance but the shift in demographic and culture is always underneath the surface.

 

[cobl04]

My god I love Buzzfeed.

Mitt Romney Looking Longingly At People

 

[cobl04]

Yay for Texas. Go you good thing!

Some choice excerpts from the 2012 Texas Republican Party Platform, which I just read:

Homosexuality ― We affirm that the practice of homosexuality tears at the fabric of society and contributes to the breakdown of the family unit. Homosexual behavior is contrary to the fundamental, unchanging truths that have been ordained by God, recognized by our country’s founders, and shared by the majority of Texans.

Morning After Pill - We oppose sale and use of the dangerous “Morning After Pill.”

American Identity Patriotism and Loyalty – We believe the current teaching of a multicultural curriculum is divisive. We favor strengthening our common American identity and loyalty instead of political correctness that nurtures alienation among racial and ethnic groups. Students should pledge allegiance to the American and Texas flags daily to instill patriotism.

Classroom Discipline –We recommend that local school boards and classroom teachers be given more authority to deal with disciplinary problems. Corporal punishment is effective and legal in Texas.

Sex Education – We oppose any sex education other than abstinence until marriage.

Right to Keep and Bear Arms – We strongly oppose all laws that infringe on the right to bear arms. We oppose the monitoring of gun ownership, and the taxation and regulation of guns and ammunition.

Foreign Aid – We oppose foreign aid except in cases of national defense or catastrophic disasters, with Congressional approval.

But this is my absolute favourite:

Equality of All Citizens – We deplore all discrimination. We also deplore forced sensitivity training and urge repeal of any mandate requiring it. We urge immediate repeal of the Hate Crimes Law. Until the Hate Crimes Law is totally repealed, we urge the Legislature to immediately remove the education curriculum mandate and the sexual orientation category in said Law.

Just mind-boggling that these are official, on-the-record views. Plenty more hilarity here.

http://s3.amazonaws.com/texasgop_pre/assets/original/2012-Platform-Final.pdf

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Yep. Mind-boggling, depressing, scary, the list goes on.

And this is the platform of people who want to be in charge, no less!

 

[BoMac]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I consider myself a pragmatic person and would feel more inclined to vote for a conservative candidate if they left social issues alone.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way, and right-leaning parties would certainly garner more votes if that would be the case.

 

[Danny Boy]

I guess they think they will alienate their base if they show any sign of moderateness. Problem is, the left and right are pretty entrenched in their political beliefs, and the 2012 election is going to won or lost depending on how much of the moderate vote they can swing. I don't think this type of rhetoric is going to swing many moderate voters to the Republican camp.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I think he's going to pick her. No one outside of NH even knows who she is, but no one knew who Sarah Palin was either. Mitt will be convinced that he needs to pick a woman, that it will solve his "woman problem".


By Michael Falcone
Jul 3, 2012
New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte To Join Romney In New Hampshire On July 4

ABC News’ Michael Falcone reports:

New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte plans to march with Mitt Romney in Wednesday’s Fourth of July parade in Wolfeboro, N.H., GOP sources tell ABC News.

Ayotte will be the first vice presidential short-lister to appear publicly with the presumptive Republican nominee during his week-long vacation at his Lake Winnipesaukee retreat. Her appearance also gives Romney the chance to meet with Ayotte privately at his home.

Romney arrived at his lakefront home in the small New Hampshire town last week to begin his annual family vacation, which includes such activities as the “Romney Olympics,” but there has been heightened speculation about whether Romney would use the time away from the political spotlight to meet with potential vice presidential contenders.

Ayotte, the freshman New Hampshire senator, is said to be one of several potential running mates the Romney campaign search team may be considering. Also on that list: Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, who plans to visit New Hampshire later this week.

Ayotte plans to bring along her husband, Joe Daley — an Iraq war veteran and small business owner — to Wednesday’s Wolfeboro Fourth of July parade. Daley owns a landscaping company in New Hampshire. Ayotte and her husband will be joined by their children, Katherine and Jacob, who will also march in the parade.

Ayotte campaigned with Romney in New Hampshire June during his five-day, battleground state bus tour. Ayotte has appeared with Romney on several other occasions during the campaign and was an early endorser of his candidacy during the primaries.

“We know that with his experience, he will make sure that we get our fiscal house in order in Washington, that we stop crushing all of us and our children with mountains of debt, and that we get Americans back to work,” Ayotte said when she announced her support of Romney in November 2011.

Last week Romney sent Ayotte to address the pro-life, National Right to Life conference in Arlington, Virginia.

In April, Ayotte campaigned with Romney at a fishing pier in Portsmouth, N.H. — about an hour’s drive from Wolfeboro — and fired up the crowd.

“If Washington isn’t broken, I don’t know what is,” she said. “And now more than ever we need Mitt Romney’s leadership in the White House.”

 

[maycocksean]

She appears to be someone who would "fire up the base."

 

[trojanchick99]

I wonder if she can see Canada from her house.

 

[Irvine511]

Does she have actual, articulated positions on things like health care, immigration, and foreign policy, unlike Mitt Romney?

 

[anitram]

I really highly doubt that we'll see a ticket of two New Englanders running as Republicans, but I suppose time will tell.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

I think Portman is his best option since there's no realistic way for Romney to win without capturing Florida and Ohio. Since Ohio is a harder pull for Mitt (he's far more likely to win Florida and not Ohio, rather than the other way around), it would make sense to get all the help he can in that state.

McCain states + Iowa + North Carolina + Indiana = 212 EVs currently for Romney

+Florida and Ohio = 259 EVs


I really doubt he'll go with some inexperienced senator from a state he would still have only a fair chance of pulling and nabbing a measly 4 EVs.

 

[Edge425]

I think Portman is his best option since there's no realistic way for Romney to win without capturing Florida and Ohio. Since Ohio is a harder pull for Mitt (he's far more likely to win Florida and not Ohio, rather than the other way around), it would make sense to get all the help he can in that state.

McCain states + Iowa + North Carolina + Indiana = 212 EVs currently for Romney

+Florida and Ohio = 259 EVs


I really doubt he'll go with some inexperienced senator from a state he would still have only a fair chance of pulling and nabbing a measly 4 EVs.

Despite the increase in electoral votes to many red states from 2008 to 2012, the advantage in the electoral college is still with the Democrats.

The states John Kerry won in 2004 have gone blue in every election since 1992. That is, the last time any of those states went red was back in 1988. So those 18 states are safe for Obama. I would consider them solid or hard Blue. Next are 3 states I would consider moderate Blue, like Iowa, New Hampshire, and New Mexico. Those states have gone blue every time since 1992 except ONCE. I'd put them in Obama's pocket as well.

With those 21 states, Obama has 257 electoral votes. He is only 13 away from victory thanks to dark blue or moderately blue states. His easiest toss up state to win is Virginia because the economy has been great there the past four years unlike the rest of the country.

In fact, the only way the GOP can win Virginia is if they choose Bob McConnell the popular Governer of Virginia, to be Romney's running mate. Without him, there is no way that Romney can win the election, because there won't be any way for him to win Virginia without Bob.

Ohio and Florida are vital and if the GOP didn't have a chance of winning them, that may as well not put up a candidate for President.

I think the reason Obama has been able to to be so successful politically in difficult economic times that would sink most Presidencies is because of the extreme division in the country that has developed over the past 25 years based on party and geographical lines. It literally is the worst its been since the Civil War, although not to imply the country is headed for a civil war since that is literally impossible. It just means that you have two sides that are large and bitterly divided over politics which means no national politician is ever totally or totally in terms of their chances of winning. There always sitting on top of a nice large loyal base that provides a cushion which prevents them from falling into non-competitive territory for the election.

So thats why I think were about to re-elect a President with 8.2% unemployment for the first time since World War II.


Also, I think there are only 5 states that are in play that can decide the election. The rest are definitely Blue or Red and won't change.

The only 5 states where the votes will really matter this year are Virginia, Ohio, Florida, Colorado, and Nevada.

 

[Irvine511]

Good analysis.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

(CNN) – As political chatter over Mitt Romney's choice for running mate gets louder, the presumptive GOP nominee's wife offered a new glimpse into the highly secretive process: the campaign, she said, is looking at women.

"We've been looking at that," Ann Romney said when asked in a CBS interview whether her husband should select a woman to join him on the GOP ticket. "I'd love that option as well. So, you know, there's a lot of people that Mitt is considering right now.Ann Romney's comments, which aired Thursday, came during a July 4th interview taped in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. The Romneys, alongside New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, marched in the town's parade.

Ayotte, the Granite State's junior senator, is one of several of female politicians that could be on Romney's vice presidential list. New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin, and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have all been mentioned in the media as potential running mates for Romney.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Romney/Rice ticket?

I'd actually be very interested to see that combo.

 

[deep]

Rice would be a bad pick.

She is at the heart of the bad decisions of the Bush Administration. Plus a real possibility that she is a same sex person.

 

[Danny Boy]

The same sex as what?

 

[deep]

attraction

this rumor? will not go away.

McCain considered her in 08, but went with Palin.

Gay Condi Rumors Derailed Veep Chances, Claims RNC Source / Queerty

 

[Danny Boy]

I can see that playing well. If anything were to happen to Romney in office, the first gay black woman president would be a Republican.

 

[deep]

The pick needs to solidify the base and get them to the polls, without alienating independents. For that reason Rice is a bad choice. So is Rubio.

The best pick is still Sen Portman from Ohio. A safe pick.

 

[U2DMfan]

If they are going to go female - they'll go Martinez from swing state New Mexico.
Because they need those electoral votes, even if it's only a handful.

Rubio has mischaracterized his family fleeing Castro while they actually arrived in America before Castro took power. And there were a few other things I read...I think he's toast.

Portman would be the obvious male choice. Haven't heard about much baggage.

 

[U2DMfan]

Never mind.

I just read that her grandparents were 'illegals'.
I would have to guess that this would be a non-starter.
And also she criticized Romney's "self-deportation' idea.

Portman is looking better and better.
Of course, I haven't Googled him yet.

 

[Steved1998]

He's going to pick Chris Christie! We need a business man in whitehouse to make sure the libtards in Congress don't gut the economy anymore than they have

 

[deep]

Romney may name running mate early in election race | Reuters

Romney said his bottom line requirement is his running mate must be "a person who could be president if that were necessary."

His short list is believed to include a host of leading Republicans, including Ohio Senator Rob Portman and former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, as well as Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and Florida Senator Marco Rubio.

I'd say he is going with a safe pick
of those 4, I'd say the first two are possibilities.

And the last two got no shot what soever.

 

[INDY500]

Pelosi: Romney made 'a calculated move' to get booed by NAACP - The Hill's Video

Pelosi: Romney made 'a calculated move' to get booed by NAACP

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Wednesday that Mitt Romney made a "calculated move" to get booed during his address earlier in the day before the NAACP.

“I think it was a calculated move on his part to get booed at the NAACP convention," she told Bloomberg TV.

Members of the civil rights organization booed Romney when he vowed to repeal President Obama's signature healthcare law.

Aahhhhh, the dog-whistle politics of the Left. Getting booed by African-Americans is a boon to a white Republican politician.

When Nancy speaks it's always fun to ask, "Does anybody agree with this woman?"

 

[deep]

I heard parts of his speech, it was very poor, he was talking 'at' or 'pass' his audience.

He was not speaking 'to' them or 'with' them.

McCain's speech in 2008 was much better, he sounded sincere.

 

[deep]

Drudge and Limbaugh are saying

ROMNEY NARROWS VP CHOICES;
CONDI EMERGES AS FRONTRUNNER​

i don't think Romney's people are as stupid as those two are.

 

[Diemen]

Pelosi: Romney made 'a calculated move' to get booed by NAACP - The Hill's Video



Aahhhhh, the dog-whistle politics of the Left. Getting booed by African-Americans is a boon to a white Republican politician.

When Nancy speaks it's always fun to ask, "Does anybody agree with this woman?"

You don't think that there is a large chunk of the Republican base that gets more than a little satisfaction out of Romney telling a roomful of African Americans that he's going to repeal Obamacare?

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Not to mention, what exactly did Romney expect would happen when he said that in front of the NAACP? They'd shower him with love and hop over to the Republican side?